If you think of running only as a competitive sport, for sportsmen and athletes to compete in Olympics and other events, just think again!
Today, running has come of age as a best exercise for the muscles, heart and body, burning calories, toning the body and enhancing the overall well-being of the runner.
All you have to do is to analyze your performance capabilities, gather your supplies, and design yourself a training plan and you are all set for the plunge!
Rigors of running
However, before you put on those running shoes, just make sure you are fully aware of the various rigors of this challenging sport.
Preparation is the key. Know what hardships you will face in your running regime and plan ahead to breeze through them. Here I give you a bird’s eye view of the potential vagaries of running:
- Improper beginnings: Majority of those who fail, do so because they start wrong. Starting too fast, selecting the wrong ground or setting improper goals fails them altogether, putting them off the sport forever.
- Inadequate supplies: Another major blunder quite a few runners make is to select improper sports gear. Ill-fitting running shoes and clothes, harsh fabrics and other faulty accessories can hamper even the best of the runners’ development.
- Energy levels: Runners often find it hard to meet the increasing levels of energy requirement. Quite often, selecting the right product from the vast range of energy supplements it-self becomes a tough choice. Maintaining the required level of stamina often becomes a challenge.
- Training needs: In the vast maze of facilities available, runners are often daunted by the tough job of selecting the right trainer, the relevant training plan and proper equipment required for meeting their goals.
- Risk of injury: Every one out of three runners faces a risk of injury from the sport, whether it is a torn ligament, a neck sprain or even a bruised ankle.
The Pleasure Sport
In spite of the tough challenges it offers, running continues to be the favoured sport of millions of enthusiasts across the globe. Whether taken up as a commercial sport or as leisure activity, running offers scores of benefits to its patrons.
Here we name just a few of them:
- Great for your muscles, bones and ligaments
- Prevents diseases like osteoporosis
- Tones your legs, hips and abdomen
- Builds your cardiovascular strength
- Burns calories at a much faster rate
- Effective way to lose weight
- Excellent way to socialize, meet like-minded people and make friends
- Besides, running, as a sport and hobby, is very easy to adapt to. Owing to the low cost implications and a minimum amount of other pre-requisites, running is an easy choice to opt for.
However, we must add; that is only if you have the passion for the sport, trust your instincts and of course, have that tingling adventurous edge, urging you always to tread on the unknown path and explore new horizons.